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Taiwan Church News 3044 Edition June 28~July 4, 2010
New PCT committee focuses on clergy’s physical, emotional health
Reported by Lin Yi-ying Written by Lydia Ma Photo by Lin Yi-ying
PCT General Assembly held its first meeting on creating a clergy care committee on June 24, 2010. Led by PCT General Assembly Moderator Rev. Lai Hsien-chang, committee members first agreed to encourage all PCT pastors to attend Anselm Gruen’s upcoming nationwide tour scheduled October 18~25 so that pastors would feel refreshed and strengthened physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The committee also decided to ask all presbyteries to offer counseling services to pastors and distribute surveys among churches to search for counseling professionals. It hoped these efforts would prove helpful in meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of pastors.
Because an increasing number of pastors have died from diseases related to exhaustion, depression, and cancer and some have even died from suicide, PCT passed a motion earlier this year during its 52ndGeneral Assembly Annual Meeting to create a committee devoted to clergy care.
During the committee meeting, members pointed out that pastors serving in churches across Taiwanusually hide any physical or psychological illnesses they may experience for fear of tarnishing their church’s reputation or people’s good impressions of clergy members.
As result, many pastors decide against seeking professional help and eventually crumble under the pressures of pastoring a church and taking care of their families.
When pastors don’t take extended holidays and hide their brokenness because they don’t know if their personal problems can be kept confidential, their health merely worsens at a faster rate.
This trend prompted the committee to agree unanimously on the need to establish various mechanisms to ensure that clergy members can truly get the help they need.
The committee also discussed closer partnerships with Christian hospitals such as Mackay MemorialHospital, Changhua Christian Hospital, and Sinlau Hospital in reaching out to pastors in need of clinical counseling.
It also underscored the importance of strengthening Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) as a theological formation component in seminaries across Taiwan.
According to reports, Anselm Gruen will hold seminars in Hualien,Tainan, Chiayi, Taitung, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu, Taipei, andTaichung. The Committee is encouraging everyone to attend these seminars and will likely engage in more pastoral outreach in the future through workshops for clergy members.
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